Friday, August 18, 2017

This past Wednesday and Thursday were busy days for the HFCC maintenance department as we prepared the croquet facility for three of the top croquet players in the country. Jeff Soo, winner of 17 national titles faced off against Sherif Abdelwahab, 7 time national golf croquet champion, while Damon Bidencope, USCA Vice President and holder of 7 national titles provided commentary throughout the match. This event was a great showing of HFCC's growing influence in the sport of croquet as it drew over 350 spectators.

Sherif, Damon, and Jeff

Sherif starts the second match

After the match, I talked to the players to get their thoughts on our lawns. All three commented on how good the surface was and that they were some of the best conditions they had played on. A lot of time and effort was put in by the maintenance staff to make this exhibition match a success. Here are pictures of the preparations for the event:

The HFCC staff put up bleachers on Wednesday.

The lawn was double cut in the morning.

Following the mowing, the lawn was rolled.

Josh uses a paint transfer wheel to paint the lines on the lawn.

The gap between the ball and hoops must be precisely measured and is less than the width of a dime.

Shot boards being installed on the edges of the lawn to keep balls inside the court.

Golf Course Architect

"Gentleman" Joe Lee

Joe Lee was an amazing and modest man who showed little interest in promoting himself in his work. Instead, he built his career in golf architecture through word of mouth with hard work and dedication. Lee’s clients, his timeless designs, and the endless stream of satisfied golfers that play his courses each year are what brought fame and recognition to his craft. His courses are as much a work of art as architecture, featuring graceful landscapes and challenging holes while highlighting the natural beauty of the surrounding area. Over the course of a career spanning more than 50 years, Joe Lee designed and renovated over 200 golf courses. To this day Highlands Falls remains one of the most well preserved examples of his work.